Editorial

The Boutique Hotel phenomenon - and its growing
sub-category of budget boutique properties - is helping to
cushion the travel and hospitality sector from the worst effects
of the worldwide recession, according to acclaimed
architecture and design practice Conran and Partners.

Its experts are seeing the trend for individually designed
hotels offering the traveller more value for money expand
across the globe.

And it says the hotel sector is weathering the economic storm
better than others as a result.

Sir Terence Conran's architecture practice has been involved
in several major hotel projects in the past 12 months,
including the recently opened Hotel Icon in Hong Kong.

Conran and Partners designed its restaurants, including
'Above & Beyond', the sleek-and-chic private members'
facility on Level 28, and The Market, an open-plan restaurant.

Part of their success comes down to the partnerships that
they have forged with UK-based manufacturers. "The
manufacturing is one of the most important parts of the
business. As we sub-contract the process, the relationship
that we have with those manufacturers has to be really
strong," says Ziglam.

With 262 guest rooms the hotel stands as a stylish testament
to Hong Kong's creative energy and vibrant arts scene,
showcasing work from the city's celebrated designers and
visionaries.

Conran says it is that individuality and attention to design and
its important creativity that is the hallmark of today's hotel
developments – with boutique projects leading the way.

The group is also working with the five star luxury and
boutique hotels group Park Hotels in cities across India on its
boutique hotel concept, which offers a vibrant mix of eastern
hospitality and western chic.

Tina Norden, associate director at Conran and Partners, says:
"The hotel sector is continuing to do well despite the global
economic slowdown, with the budget boutique developments
showing the way ahead as travellers demand more value for
money.

"People are still travelling and staying at hotels, whether it's
for business or leisure, and the sector is still very lively
despite the current economic climate.

"The big players remain strong, but we are also seeing a lot of
smaller projects in the pipeline.

"Asia in particular is seeing a lot of activity, though
interestingly it is one of the areas where there is a general
move away from top end work and into the growing boutique
hotel market.

"We're seeing sexy, good looking and well-designed hotels,
but more at the budget end in terms of matters such as size
of bedrooms and bathrooms.

"These are still good looking hotels, but offering more value
for money in terms of room rates, something that is
becoming popular with both business and leisure travellers
who are looking to keep overheads down.

"People want more for their money because of the economic
realities we are in the middle of and you can't get away with
offering poor standard hotel rooms these days.

"We are seeing developments such as Swire Hotels rolling
out its successful East formula from Hong Kong out into
China.

"It is interesting to see the boutique sector continue to grow
and the more design-led projects that it is creating with
individuality at their heart.

"Here in the UK London remains very active with a number of
projects underlining the vibrancy that still exists in the capital
in the build up to the Olympics.

"It still remains the case that all the hotel groups want a
London flagship and we've seen the Four Seasons and
Savoy unveil real high-end, luxurious revamps.

"But again Boutique Hotel development seems to be growing
in favour in the capital."

To underline that fact Conran and Partners is creating the
interiors for a new 80 bedroom boutique hotel in Islington, on
the edge of the City of London, for Frogmore, which will open
next summer and be operated by D&D.